PokeVenture
by varsaigen
Summary: My entry for the PokeVenture contest on DeviantArt. Team Rocket has their base in Celadon, and manage the world-reknowned Game Corner. This is the story of Kaden, a scyther, and his experiance in Celadon.
1. Round 1: Crimson past

"That's enough for today" The voice said, as pokemon ranging from Nidorina, to Nidorino; Bellsprouts, to Machop; and even Cubones, to Snubbull, stood before it. They wandered out of the room and down the hallway to the other bunker-like facility three blocks away, connected by the underground passage in that wing. The voice watched them go, and turned to head out another door once the sound of their chatter faded into the tunnel. Pausing, it examined the room, taking note to have the shattered wood panels replaced. Turning off the light with practiced aim, he closed the door and left.

Walking down the hallway, he checked the clock. Three after six. He smiled to himself. The sun was going down, and the summer heat would make for a warm night. How he enjoyed the summer, with the semi-humid air, and the warm rays of the sun upon his skin, able to go as he pleased without worrying of chilly bursts of nightly wind, comparable only to the air conditioning upon entering a building. He imagined the sky as it was predicted that night; clear skies with a full moon above. The blue-black sky, specked with the faint stars hanging before him, twinkling their ancient twinkle, and the wall of clouds drifting towards them from the south. What a sight it was for the young teacher to behold each night.

"Now that is a rare smile, Kaden." The voice snapped him back to reality, his smile fading to an unamused frown. At the stairs stood a larger Pokémon, brown and gray, with a yellow stomach exposed to him. His sharp eyes caught her every detail; the tough hide, the softer belly pouch, empty from lack of children, and the kind and knowledgeable stare of its owner.

"Hello, Tara" Kaden said, his voice churning out his greeting. He looked at her, waiting for the reason behind this interruption.

The large, rock-like hided Pokémon understood the look, and continued. "How were the little ones today? I take it they weren't too hard on you?" Kaden shook his head. "Well, dear, we can talk about it on the way to the compound." Kaden let Tara pass him, heading through the door, before following her into the evening heat.

They began down the road in silence, as the motherly Kangaskhan waited for an answer. Kaden sighed impatiently, knowing that Tara would find a way to get an answer out of him somehow. She was intolerable this way.

"Well," he began, watching as a couple trainers on bikes rode past, heading down the road. "Seriph, the Nidorino, continues to have his dominance problems, and doesn't seem to understand the concept of thinking before charging. Ended up with his face in the wall four times today. I was forced to end his suffering for the opportunity of another stepping up to compare with me. Torra, the Swellow, ended up going after the roots of one of the bellsprouts. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was retarded. It's been happening all week with increasing hostility. Now, the prized 'student' of the class, Marik…" He looked up at the street lamps as they flickered on, bathing the two in its orange glow as they walked beneath it, "You remember Marik? Well, he challenged me again… Got trampled. I grow weary of his presence. If he weren't the best in the class, he'd be in-"

"Now, now, Kaden, Marik has good intentions, I'm sure of it." Kaden cast a frustrated glare towards his college, "My guess is that he wants to prove himself, not only to you, but to the bosses. He may want to follow in your footsteps by proving he can go toe-to-toe with you. That's all. And honestly, I can't blame him. You do make a great model as far as reaching one's prime in combat." Tara nudged his shoulder with her elbow.

Kaden growled slightly. "He's going to end up dead if he tries too hard. He's not like me, trained from birth, to fight, to wound and kill; tactics, angles, calculations… what it takes to be a weapon, a killing machine." His scowl intensified.

"And that's a good thing? Being a weapon of the bosses, a tool to be used to imperialize yourself upon others? Now, I'm not complaining about the bosses, really, but life isn't all about combat. You should know that." Tara cast a concerned glance towards her friend. As they walked into the sunlight, she admired the orange-yellow glow waging war with her friend's green skin.

They continued in peace, reaching a flat stretch of road at the bottom of the hill. Kaden seemed at relative peace now, she noted, looking around them, towards the majestic oak trees lining the road, and the sound of nature beyond the sandy-bricked walls to their left. Birds chirped, and the nightly bugs buzzed through the air, picked off by the waking zubats. Kaden and Tara stopped, placing themselves near a bench. Two trainers sat upon it with their Pokémon; a flareon, sceptile, pidgeotto, and a pachirisu surrounding them loyally. Both trainers talked among themselves while casting the two arrivals odd glances.

Kaden watched as one of the trainers, a boy by the looks of it, stood up with a Pokéball in his hand, only to be stopped by the other human, female by her voice. Tara was watching too, and cast them a warning glare, while Kaden did the same towards the trainer Pokémon. Pokéball in hand, the teenage boy was forced down, back to his place on the bench.

"So, how was your day, Tara?" Kaden looked across the city, as it spanned below, from the bottom of the cliff, shadows spread over its essence from the setting sun. She sighed, as she slumped her large form against one of the towering oaks.

"You know how it is with my classes, teaching the dropouts from your class and a few others, how to act properly to the humans' laws, and how to work, clean, and care, for their masters… the usual. It's the lost sense of achievement in their tasks that gets to me. Some of them have heard wondrous things about humanity, about their grand cities, and find themselves lost in the world of metal, noise, and chaos. I mean, they have tried to aspire to higher things, and only to discover that fate, and humanity, are cruel."

Pressure upon her stomach alerted her of Kaden's adjustments to his own position, as he lay his head back, against the side of her stomach. Eyes closed, he grunted his acknowledgment. Tara smiled, thinking to herself, how easily she could see past Kaden's charades of a hard, cold exterior, and into his soft, caring core. On the outside, he was the world's deadliest creation, built for combat; the defensive color of green, hiding him from prying eyes, the light but strong body of his carapace, his skin, his armor, and the ever-precise and sharp blades of his arms. He was the perfect weapon of nature. He was a…

"- Scyther!" Tara looked up, seeing a small group of kids, some of them trainers, pointing towards the pair of rare Pokémon. They muttered to themselves, eager and fascinated. Kaden had an eye open, watching their movements, untrusting. And, sure enough, one of the children pulled out a Pokéball. With his steel-blue cap on backwards, he pointed to the scyther as he talked excitedly to the others. Both Kaden and Tara heard the words "catch" and "battle", and knew what was about to happen.

Kaden watched, staring down his young opponent, wings twitching as he set himself into his battle-stance. He had plenty of experience in decapitating, and this kid would be no problem for him; his sharp, finely tuned blades, pulsing with the vigor of battle. The child flung the red and white ball forwards, releasing his own Pokémon in a flash of shining light.

As the other children pulled back, retreating to the fence at the edge of the cliff, the two bench-side trainers' attention had been caught. As a well-groomed Ratticate appeared, Kaden waited, studying his opponent to the fine details of its fur. The young trainer barked an order, and the massive rodent lunged forwards, its fangs pulsing with energy.

Kaden expertly dodged, letting the Ratticate skip by him, narrowly reaching his face. Again, it lunged, and again, Kaden dodged by a hair. Shifting out of the way, Kaden continued to watch the trainer, listening to the words of encouragement, of orders, barked to the rodent.

Suddenly, a honk blurted into the heads of everyone around, as a car approached the battle scene, heading down the last bend of the hill as it approached the flat strip along the cliff. Kaden pulled himself out of the way, as the rat did the same. The car passed innocently, moving along, as if middle-of-the street battles were common in the city, which they were with increasing frequency in the last year.

Now, the two foes stood on opposite sides of the single-lane road, staring each other down. Neither moved, until finally, Kaden decided it was his turn. "Enough study, rat!" He growled, as he lunged with blinding speed. If the boy had thought that the scyther had been fast in dodging the many Hyper Fangs, a true sample of his speed revealed itself, as he swatted the rat away with the back of his blades.

As the giant rodent tumbled along the edge of the road, the inexperienced child shouted, pulling out a second Pokéball and flinging it at the scyther landing on the other side of the road. Barely had the ball of enslavement gotten within range, before it was swatted away by the war-trained scyther. Now, the ball plummeted down the cliff in two halves, with the children gasping in awe of the scyther's incredible speed and precision.

With a sound between a hiss and a growl, the scyther turned away, leaving the battle behind him. The children, now gathering around the battered rat, watched as the scyther and Kangaskhan headed down the street.

"You know, you could have refused." Tara spoke, informing him of a possible decision that had already occurred to him. He remained silent, knowing full well that his friend knew his nature all too well. With no response, Tara let it be, and continued their walk down the road and into the city in silence.

Entering the visual border between the city and the tamed wilds surrounding it, Tara and Kaden headed down the sidewalk. People around them looked in their direction, but mostly ignored them. Traffic was loud, and the lights from various signs made it harder for Kaden to see, as the final rays of the sun disappeared behind the distant mountains to the west. The night was coming alive, and summer was excellent for tourists and visiting trainers. As Kaden walked, ever-cautious, ever-alert, suspicious of the people around him, Tara remained calm, happy, smiling to those passing them. They navigated their way through the city, passing shop after shop. Trainer salons, food markets, and newspaper stands were massed in the city, lining the streets, as well as the occasional fancy restaurant.

Eventually, they made it to a large, yellow-brown building, embroidered with wooden designs, and a garden up front. The scattered-stone pathway led up to the door, the bit of gravel spread between the flat stones. Tara walked up first, and carefully turned the knob, as not to break it. As Tara walked in, Kaden followed, welcoming the cooler air of the Dojo's main facility.

The front desk was empty; no doubt closing time had passed hours ago. Tara stomped her way down the hall as she headed towards the back. Closing the door, Kaden followed. Through the dark they walked, Kaden guiding his thick-hided friend through the shrouded halls and rooms. He was a hunter, a stalker, a killer, and could see perfectly in the shadows. Tara, however, could not, and was effectively blind in the corridors. Two taps of metal-like bone signaled to Tara that they had reached their destination. Tara reached forward, and pushed the heavy 'No Access' door wide open, and moved through. Before them stood a large staircase, heading downwards into the unending darkness. With the door closing behind them, the lights of the ramp were lit, and the noise of the city faded away. Down, down into the deep depths of the tunnel, the line of dotted lights blurred into the faraway shadows. Kaden and Tara began their descent of the ramp, and soon were walking down the tunnel.

It was wide. Wide enough for four metro trains to comfortably fit side by side, with boarding platforms between them, and tall enough for them to barely enter. Layered in bricks, the corridor traveled underground, beneath the city. Beyond the decorative bricks, rust-brown from their lack of paint, stood several feet of cement, protecting the public from the secret tunnels of a dangerous force beneath them. A quiet hum began, and the crashing sound of large machinery starting up could be heard, echoing through the tunnels like the crack of a whip.

The floor began to move, forcing the pair to shift their poses, accommodating for the increased pace, before continuing their walk. As the floor sped up, the first of several 'stations' appeared. From here, they would turn right, to board another moving runway, and then left, finally taking their exit halfway down the tunnel.

There he lay, a scyther, upon a roof. The warm summer air, humid as ever in the summer nights of Celadon, the gambling city of Kanto, breathed upon his vibrant green skin. His blades lay at his sides, the light of the city dimly reflecting upon their surfaces; his wings encased in their protective shells on his back, his eyes captivated by the stars above, shining desperately through the haze of the city. They seemed to beg for mercy, crying, "don't let us fade…! Don't let us disappear!" as if they would burn out of existence if the city's haze increased.

The face of the moon reflected in his eyes, as he let his mind wander, away from the actions of Team Rocket, away from his students, and away from the world of trainers and competition. But try as he might, it was one of the few battles he could never win. Just as Tara could always drag answers from him, he could not keep his thoughts from anchoring themselves to recent events, events of the past, or of his colleagues and comrades.

Silph Co. Goldenrod Branch

3:40 am

Two years ago

The alarm had been raised. A security guard had activated it a split second before being pulverized; the Tyranitar, with the guard's face on his fist. The rest of the team, composed of a Kadabra, Primeape, Machoke, and a Typhlosion, hurried the Tyranitar along, while the Kadabra carefully kept a set of data chips safe in his grip. The lockdown had gone into effect, and there was no doubt that police and other forms of security were forming outside. A window was needed to allow the Kadabra to teleport them out, but the lockdown had closed all of them, sealing them off behind a thick sheet of metal, something the Tyranitar had attempted to break on a few occasions.

Kaden watched from the tree he was assigned to observe from, as the police vehicles swarmed into the area, adding further forces to the already massive police blockade outside the exits. Arcanine and Growlithe stood scanning the building's windows and doors, ready to attack at any signs of the criminals. Kaden estimated thirty, forty, maybe fifty police personnel covering the exits, with three helicopters dropping S.W.A.T teams on the roof. If his team didn't do something soon, they would surely be captured. The flashing of red and blue lights everywhere illuminated the nearby roads of Goldenrod, and traffic had been diverted to other roads. For some reason, the majority of the police department for the entire city had gathered outside of the Silph expansion in Johto. Something was off, and Kaden could tell. Someone had to have exaggerated the reports, resulting with more security than was expected. A rogue agent? A scared citizen or guard? It was hard to tell. But one thing was sure; Kaden needed to save his team.

A streak of green and silver, of hatred and death, shot from the branch it lay on. The flashing made it hard for anyone to see right, and provided the perfect cover while the young scyther, new to the team, closed the gap between him and his prey. A shriek of nothing close to human, and the green blur exploded upon the blockade, blades slashing, slicing, carving. Cries of terror and pain sounded as police all over turned to see what the commotion was. The sound of a car being punctured, and carved open, gutted, as the ferocious scyther leapt from the hood, and onto another, the gunshots from the police, the howls from the canines; they all blended together in an orchestra of death. Car after car, police and hounds; they all fell before him like leaves in Autumn. And then…

'Shwing!' A clean cut. Another gutted police car. Police from other exits were on their way. A scyther, his own blade trapped in the side of one of the vans, was confronted by a bold officer… the click of a new clip… and the sound of the blade ripping free of its steel trap. Another officer fallen.

More minutes of sirens, gunfire, flames, and cries of horror and pain… a massive warrior, layered in the blood of his enemies, of his prey, crouched upon a totaled van, surveying the battlefield, his battlefield, for survivors. Seeing none, he pulled back, back into the trees, and his shelter from the world's eyes.

Within, the team had reached the base level, and could hear the sirens and radio-chatter of the police outside; the main exit. All the halls had been locked down, leaving the main lobby most vulnerable. With no visual sight, they could not teleport their way out, and had no way to judge the strength of the police forces outside.

Saying their final goodbyes… the Tyranitar blew open the door. Quickly, they charged out, unleashing a flurry of ranged attacks. But there was no resistance. No guns, no yelling, no flames… nothing. And what lay before them, was destruction. Bodies of the dead or injured, those lucky enough to have not been noticed by their attacker, vehicles and debris everywhere. Cars and vans, ripped open like soda cans, doors on the sidewalk, or barely on their hinges, or themselves gutted, torn and twisted from some demonic tool. Fire, the smell of burning rubber, and that of gasoline filled the air, as plumes of smoke rose above them, blanketing the sky and the moon.

Making their way through the warzone, the team looked upon the dying faces of Arcanine, of growlithes, and officers, yet no bodies of their attackers. And, as silent and sudden as the very ghosts the dead, stood a figure. A shadowy form, still as stone, shrouded by the burning clouds of smoke and chemicals was before them. Finally, the city wind changed direction, and cleared their view of the grey and black haze.

A scyther, ferocious in every way, stared them down, a blood-thirsty look within his eyes. A gaze of a monster, a weapon of death, bored through them, chilling their blood in that October night. Blood caked nearly every part of the once-green figure, dripping from blades of death. It was the reaper… nature's reaper of the dead. A reaper who instilled fear in many and all who saw his monstrous gaze, his wasteland of death. The reaper demanded respect in battle, in his unholy form, and respect he would have.

The door creaked open, breaking Kaden's remembrance of times long past. "Kaden? You up here?" Sarah, a female Typlosion, emerged through the doorway, poking her blue and yellow head out into the warm night. Spotting the scyther, she brought her sturdy frame into full view, closing the door behind her, and joining the warrior in his star-gazing. "May I join you?"

Kaden glanced, but did not say anything. Side by side, they lay upon the cement roof of the Team Rocket headquarters, not speaking a word, as they waged a staring contest with the heavens themselves. A gentle gust of wind forced Kaden's hand, causing him to blink; another victory for the stars.

"So… what are you thinking about?" Sarah asked, shifting to look at him. He sighed quietly. He had come here for peace, and now had the company of the one Rocket Pokémon who took upon herself, the role of a psychiatrist for her own amusement.

"My past and my thoughts are none of your concern, Sarah. If you want stories of my past, it would be best to check the mission reports."

"Yes, well, they don't know how to tell a story properly." Sarah huffed, "So why don't you tell me what you are thinking about? Waiting won't get you anywhere, and we have all night to wait."

Kaden paused, looking at her, studying her expression, looking for a weakness. So long had his training consumed his life, that he formulated various ways of decapitation, from the passing trainer, to the ice-cream man, to the elderly lady crossing the street, and, much to his horror, his team mates. So well trained was he, the weapon, the reaper of souls that it crept into every situation in his life. His training was a parasite. It had woven its way into him, merging with him, and he had accepted it, welcomed it, but now, without the position of a field agent, he had no release; no way of using it but to analyze the fifty ways he knew to harm or kill someone with his blades.

But still, he pressed on, pushing it from his thoughts. "I'm just remembering the mission in Goldenrod, with the police department massacre. I can't seem to get it from my head tonight. Lately, it keeps creeping up on me during my moments of peace. Yet I do not know why."

Sarah frowned, "The night you personally wiped out the vast majority of the police force? The same month that the crime rate there tripled? The year that you demanded respect, as you forced your way to head of the pack… that night?" Kaden nodded.

"I don't know why, but I suspect that we missed something. Perhaps it's a vital detail missing from the reports. Perhaps it's a key piece of data that could have led to the complete success of the Saffron raid. …Perhaps it's my conscious catching up to me… But I doubt that. I am a weapon of Team Rocket. It's what I do. I am their blade. What good is a sword if it debates its purpose?" A blade scraped along the floor noisily communicating his frustration to the air.

A paw landed atop the bladed arm, stopping it in place. Kaden looked at it, and then back to its source. Sarah's ears hung back, and her eyes showed sorrow for the abused bug. The gentle wind poked at her fur, managing to add to the image.

Pity… it was something Kaden detested. He was a scyther! And no scyther should show weakness. To show weakness was to embolden others, turning the tide of battle against the warrior-race. As he got up, his blade was caught by Sarah. Forced back down to the ground, Kaden was enveloped in a furry hug from Sarah.

Pity… concern… friendship… this hug represented it all, and the scyther could do nothing to fight it. So, he lay there, limp in the strong embrace of the fiery Pokémon, unable to break free until she deemed it time. But… deep down, far into the shadowy recesses of his hollow core… he welcomed it.


	2. Round 1: The Sound of Greed

Kaden awoke, and rose from his nest. Stepping from the carefully placed blades of artificial grass, he stepped onto the cold cement floor. He was used to warmer floors when he awoke, and shrugged it off as a problem with the heater. He emerged from his cold, dull room, and out into the empty hallway.

Looking up and down the hall, he noted the lack of grunts patrolling the hallway. In recent years, security had increased, due to the increasing number of intruders in Rocket operations. But today, even the Admin Pokémon were left unguarded. It was a nice alternative to the constant watch for intruders, but a risky one, none the less.

Kaden walked down the hall, the lights above providing no heat to the giant insect. Placing a scythe in the handle of the door, he pried it open, and pulled himself through, letting it close behind him. Walking down a long hallway, he pushed a door open, gaining access to a large room. Few people turn their heads to see the new arrival, before heading back to their work. Moving through the room, he listens to the chirps and beeps coming from the many computers illuminating the room. Glancing at one of the screens, he sees the familiar, dull halls of the base. Subtle patrols and security on the outer perimeter, but pure black and red on the inside, the uniforms of the criminal organization seen in every screen. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Kaden moved through the door, and entered an elevator with a couple grunts. As the doors closed, and the elevator scrolled down, the grunts seemed nervous beside the scythed Pokémon riding with them. A ding, the doors rolling open, and the two grunts disappeared, quickly moving out of the elevator to their posts. Kaden stepped out, and moved out the doors of the building, and out onto the street.

Unaccompanied, he took his usual walk down the city streets. Cars and trucks drove by, coming to a stop at an intersection before taking their turn. Through the city he traveled, soon arriving at a large, fancy-looking building fifteen blocks away. Coming to the front, he advanced past the doorman.

The doorman, recognizing Kaden, pulled the large glass doors open. A blast of cool air smacked Kaden in the face, forcing his eyes shut momentarily as the air adjusted. With the glass doors closing carefully behind him, he let the piano music reach him as he conditioned himself to the lighter, sweeter smells of the main entryway. But the entryway was not what he was looking for, so he moved on.

As he ventured towards the large, engraved doors at the end of the entryway, he could hear the roars of laughter and conversation from the bar as he passed them. The casino's restaurant, opposite the bar, held this same effect. Pushing the engraved metal doors open with his body, he clenched his eyes shut. The contrast of the clean air outside, and the smoky haze beyond the doors always had an effect on him, burning his eyes dry.

Looking through watery eyes, he navigated the casino by memory, narrowly stepping out of the way of gamblers and servers as he tried to keep his eyes open to incoming blurs. Luckily, he had reached the far end, where a shallow atrium was set into the floor. The smokers and drinkers weren't as heavy as at night, but the ventilation suffered from neglected use. Kaden swallowed a breath of clean air before moving back into the haze, working on as much clean air as possible before inhaling the toxic fumes from their cigars and cigarettes.

This was one of the worst positions Kaden had selected to fill his time upon his master's promotion. While he did not appreciate the role of a teacher, he enjoyed the lack of suffocation in the job. But quality security was in demand in Team Rocket's recent years, and thus he found himself as chief of security, the boss Pokémon in the headquarters and the casino.

Carefully sidestepping one of the worn out all-nighters, he made his way to the stairs, and then to the second floor that worked its way around the perimeter of the room. The scyther glanced down upon the gamers, plugging in their cash, feeding the machines, just hoping to hit a jackpot. 'Pathetic' he thought, turning away to head into another section of the large casino.

This room was one of many, in a cluster of five in the casino, where gamblers put their lives behind the machines, cursing or cheering upon the results of their recent pull, before repeating the process all over again. This room was not nearly as tall as the central gambling room, and had supporting rafters. And, like in many of the gambling rooms, this one held a cash-in counter, where the 'stupid cattle' would haul their coins for various prizes. Kaden had only to wonder how many of his failed students had been given as prizes, and how many of them still awaited their fates.

In the rafters sat a raichu, one of the better sentries in the casino. She carefully monitored the gamers at Kaden's level, but looked to be quite bored with the assignment. Kaden agreed with the raichu and other guards that the casino was indeed a dull assignment, However, it had its moments of excitement and action, such as earlier in the week. Kaden had been on teacher duty when the ekans display was smashed, and thus, only heard bits and pieces from the guards working on that day. Kaden moved through the room towards the back of the room to a Staff hallway leading to different parts of the casino. As he reached the door, he could see the scorched floor and machines. The image would hardly affect the income of money, but would have to dealt with later.

Heading down the hallway, he made his way to an elevator. Taking it to the top floor, he arrived at a restricted room, above the central gambling room. This was the most restricted of floors in the building, as few staff members were permitted up here. But Kaden would not leave so readily. From up here, the air was cleaner, and the sunlight stronger. He felt more of the nature his primal scyther instincts lusted for when he saw the dome of blue above. But that wasn't the primary reason he came up here. From here, he could look down upon the gamers without their knowing. If any problems on any levels occurred, he could quickly drop down to investigate or deal with the situation.

But nothing happened over the course of the hours of the day, and he, like many other guards, became bored. So, to make things more interesting, he decided to see how the various guards were doing, and listen to any problems that had arisen. So he fell, down the empty spire of air that was ringed by the gambling floors of the casino. With his wings bursting forth, he landed gracefully, but hard, as his landing indicated with a thump of his carapace against marble. His appearance from nowhere startled some of the gamblers and guards, as he soon rose from his crouched position, and stalked off.

Apparently, little had happened during the day. Some attempts by gamblers of running off with stolen prizes, or coins, and the occasional jackpot. And thus, his drop from above would be the highlight of the day.

So as his shift ended, he took one more look upon the greedy cattle Team Rocket had collected at their primary source of income, and took his leave into the evening glow of the city.


	3. Round 2: Feather Collection

Thumping sounded behind a door in the Rocket base, and opened to reveal Kaden emerging from the subterranean tunnels. The guards glanced at the scyther, and identified him by the tiny pouch he kept about his neck. A nod from a guard allowed Kaden through to the base.

The clunking of heavy carapace upon the base's floors echoed as the scyther made his way through to his nest. Guard after guard, door after door, he prowled past. As he navigated the halls of the base, he noted the state of the guards and cameras, of the door pass codes, and retinal scanners for the hundredth time. As chief of security, he knew the defenses of the base. He had to if he was to keep the place safe from their enemies.

His attention was pulled by a loud squawk up ahead. Curious, Kaden moved forward, and peered into the open door. He watched as two grunts struggled to properly detain a large bird. It fought and fought, nearly breaking free of the grunts as they tried to move it from its transport container into the detainment cage.

It was not Kaden's problem to deal with, and he was not supposed to be wasting time watching, but he did, as his instinctual curiosity told him to. Finally, one of the two grunts managed to throw a chain over the bird and pulled down on it, clipping it to part of the machine, as the other grunt followed suit. Finally, the bird was pinned, and would hopefully be transferred without further incident.

Now that the massive bird was still, unable to truly struggle against its chains, Kaden could better study it. It was an impressive creature, with sharp, intelligent eyes, its short beak, and well-trimmed feathers, despite it mess caused by its capture. But what stood out was its crown. A golden trail of feathers pushed from its head and down its back gracefully.

The two grunts, now tired from wrestling the massive bird, finally spoke. "Bout time we got this darned bird down, Joe."

"Yeah," The other grunt panted, "Just get it in the cage and we can take a break." Now rising to push the bird's platform into the cage.

The other grunt helped, speaking as he pushed, "You know, Joe, I head they changed the donuts again. Something about tomato-filling or something. And also," he wheezed, "new soda machine being added."

The other grunt laughed, "I wonder what they'll have this time. Those nut-filled Dugtrio Bars? They haven't had that in a long time." Joe stepped back, closing the cage door as the other grunt pulled out of the way. Locking it down, they unhooked the chains, and pulled them through the bars. Throwing them in a corner, the two guards slid past Kaden and continued down the hall.

The bird looked up from the now-dark room, and gazed towards the scyther in what looked to be a plea for help. Kaden stared back, and looked away, closing the door shut with his foot. Another prisoner for Team Rocket to break.


	4. Round 2: Grounding Fate

"Excellent." Kaden growled, "I have enough problems dealing with my existing class without having another bird on my blades." He lashed out at the wall beside him, thumping his carapace sheath against the cold wall.

"… However…" A small, cunning smile cracked open from his face of irritation. "It gives Torra a distraction. And perhaps…" A knock on the door of his cell-like room interrupted him. "Enter." He looked to see who it was.

The large brown form of a Kangaskhan peered through the open door, "Is everything alright?" She spoke, looking around the room. Nothing was out of place as Kaden stood beside his nest facing her.

"Perfectly." He small smile remained, as he looked at Tara with utmost confidence. Tara did not seem convinced. Kaden had been more paranoid as of lately, and such levels of paranoia was uncommon, even in him.

"You aren't on the roof. You are always on the roof at this time of night." She frowned. He watched, unblinking and unmoving. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing at all, Tara. Just because I break my routine for one night does not indicate something is wrong. In fact, I think it'll prove to my advantage." His smile widened as his eyes narrowed.

Tara inched back a moment, pulling the door closer to her like a shield. "You're scaring me, Kaden. What have you come up with now?" She herself glared at him.

Kaden grunted hysterically, and stepped into his nest. "We have a new recruit. And if my presumptions are correct, I get to break him." Tara flinched at the emphasis of 'break'. Of all the creatures to break in new recruits, why did it have to be Kaden?

A loud rattling shook the suspended cage that the bird was in, causing it to squawk awake and attempt to balance itself. "Get up, bird-brain." A man on the other side of the bars said, giving the cage a hard kick to get his point across. "You've got a long day ahead of you!" he laughed as he walked away.

The bird looked around the well-lit room. Grey walls, grey door, ugly machines… it was the same room. The bird released a sigh and ruffled its feathers. Stepping across part of the cage, he noticed two containers, food and water respectively. It didn't appear to hold all that much, and a lot seemed to have spilled from the grunt's wake-up call.

Tasting it, the bird rolled its eyes. Cheap food for the newest prisoner of some band of thieves. A grunt soon came in and gripped a cart. Pulling it beneath the cage, he lowered the cage to thump lightly on the cart. Gripping the cage, he began to turn it towards the door, carefully maneuvering it through before leading it down duel-colored halls. The bird looked at the grunt. He seemed young, inexperienced, and easily manipulated. But counter to these facts, he had thick, heavy-duty gloves. He wouldn't feel any pecking through that.

The bird peered down hallways as he tried to gain a sense of his surroundings. But it all looked the same. Finally, the cage rolled to a stop, the grunt moving away to open a door. The cage was then rolled into the doorframe, and with a surprising dexterity, the cage was opened.

The bird took advantage of this and fled the cage, pulling into the dark room. Quickly, he spun around to escape his new confines, but the cage was moving, and the door was pulled shut with haste.

The bird clawed and clawed at the door, but to no avail. He couldn't tell if he even made a scratch on the door in the shadows that enveloped the entire room. Stopping, he paused to listen, wondering if the grunt was still there. Nothing. No footsteps, no wheels… Nothing.

A click. The bird wheeled around as another click sounded in the darkness. Again, this time faster than before. Another! And another! It was moving toward-

Motion surrounded the bird as he felt something ram into him. The next thing he knew was the wall colliding against his back, effectively pinning him between two objects. Panicked, he lashed out with his claws, scraping up against what felt like giant claws.

Suddenly, the light flashed on, forcing the trapped bird to shut its eyes. But as his eyes adjusted to the sudden light, he reopened them to discover what was pinning him.

The green, stern face of a scyther stared him down, its own pupils dilated by the light. And as suddenly as he had seen the face before him, he was released, dropping to the floor ungracefully.

Kaden watched as the bird pulled itself up. As it looked up, he began. "Name." It did not reply. His blades shifted, letting the room's dull yellow light shimmer off of the metal-like surface. "Name." He repeated.

The bird watched him carefully, as it regained posture."Very well then," the scyther began. "My name is Kaden. And I am here to break you." A malicious smile appeared upon his face. The large bird pulled back, tucking itself into a corner. "So we shall begin by hearing your name. If not…" He shifted a blade to make his point.

"P-Pidgey" The bird responded quietly. It seemed terrified, something Kaden had not entirely expected from a bird as large as he.

"That's not a name. That's a species, something you no longer are." Kaden growled, taking a step forwards.

"It's my name! Please don't hurt me!" The pidgeot shielded its face from the approaching blade. Kaden paused, looking from his blade, and to the bird before retaking his posture.

"Better…" He smiled, "Next question…"


	5. Round 3: Shift of Priority

"Again." Kaden barked, his stern gaze issuing his demands. A Nidorino and a Raichu rushed at each other, determined not to lose this fight against the other. The Raichu had a wicked grin on his face. Marik loved to fight, and was more than happy to engage others in an effort to prove himself of the same caliber as his teacher.

He wore this grin as he cleverly shifted out of the Nidorino's path and onto his back, delivering a precise zap to his opponent's system. With a grunt of surprise, the Nidorino collapsed into the wall. The Raichu walked away, smug with his victory.

Kaden studied the Nidorino, noting its paralysis, and turned back to the Raichu. "Well done, Marik. A good use of your electricity to paralyze Seriph. Now give someone else a turn." He looked over his students. "Torra" The Swellow looked up from priming its feathers, "You're up. Skylar, you too." The Charmander looked up, uncertain of his selection. The new Rocket recruit seemed to adjust a bit faster than most recruits. While the lizard was young, Kaden did not believe he knew the gravity of his situation.

As the two took their positions on opposite sides of the room, the Swellow prepared itself to fly, opening its wings and crouching low to the ground. The Charmander seemed uncertain but ready to fight. Kaden cut in, "Remember, no ranged moves unless you can turn it into a melee one. Use your mind and your body. No whirlwinds, flamethrowers, or any possible ranged moves you may know. And Charmander…" He glared at the lizard, "Don't burn this place down." The lizard gulped. Taking a step back to get clear, the scyther ordered, "Begin."

The bird pumped its wings, shooting forwards towards the lizard, straight as an arrow, seeking to finish off the newcomer as quickly as possible. Out of instinct, the Charmander prepared fire, but was unable to properly release it as the bird bowled into him with intense force. Claws slashed and gouged as the bird flapped his wings to remain steady as it dished out its claws upon the poor position. Kaden watched, silently, waiting for a comeback from the lizard.

"Enough." Kaden raised a scythe, and the bird pulled off his prey. The Charmander lay there, bleeding across his torso. He had severe cuts, and even his cuts had cuts. The bird had attacked with increasing ferocity over the past weeks, but this was one of Torra's more severe cases. Kaden nodded, frowning slightly. "Well done, Torra. But be careful not to cripple the other students. I would prefer for you all to succeed. We don't need any deaths on our hands." The bird ruffled his feathers as he stood attentive.

Looking back over to the Charmander, Kaden stepped over and kneeled before the bleeding form. "Can you continue?" a whimper emanated from the lizard, and Kaden grunted. "Sora, Fen, take… Skylar to the infirmary to be treated." The two bellsprouts nodded, and picked up the hurting lizard in their vines before caring it off towards the building's small infirmary.

Watching the two plants walk off, Kaden turned back to the class, "Seriph, your back on your feet. Good. You are facing Elise." The Nidorina in the group blinked, and the Nidorino groaned. Kaden knew the two potentially liked each other, but the scyther was not about to cut the two any slack. Relationships meant nothing in his class, and he would force couples to fight if needed. "Take your places and begin on my mark."

It was night, and Kaden was on the roof, thinking, calculating, planning his usual rounds of information. Ways to improve security, his class, and how various guards and recruits might work in different situations. The stars stared at him as he stared at them, twinkling in their age-long shimmer. The sky was patched with clouds tonight, and what stars broke through the city's haze seemed dull, gray, boring, as were his routines. But they had to have a purpose. Everything did, and his was to maintain the security of the Headquarters and casino.

But tonight was a slow night, and he did not see much in the terms of new strategies. So, pulling himself up, he made his way for the stairs, to head back into the base. The cement walls surrounded him as he made his way down. Tonight was his detail in the Black Sector, and he knew that a security role in the Black Sector was a meaningful badge of honor. But he yearned for blood, for battles with competent fighters, not children and recruits. Coming to the desired floor, his pressed the push bar and entered. Past this hallway of strong security was the entrance to the Black Sector named… the Maze.


	6. Round 3: The Maze

Through the black-trimmed halls Kaden walked, his carapace clinking with every step. The halls were dark, and most of the guards were scattered throughout, patrolling or guarding key exits. Much of the Maze was electronically controlled, meaning that security cameras were everywhere. Motion sensors, ID readers, and even laser security had been installed. But even with the hundreds of cells, not a sound besides the clicking of the Security Chief's feet emanated. Nothing could be heard from within the many sound dampeners and lockdown doors. Nothing could get in, and nothing would get out.

Up ahead, Kaden saw movement. A figure, just short of his height walked around a corner silently. Kaden shifted his pose, now walking almost solely on his claws as he carefully placed each foot to silence himself. Closer and closer he came, until he had reached the corner. Raising a blade cautiously, he shifted around and into the other hall.

Before him was a Ninetails, grooming itself quietly. Its gold-white fur glowed faintly in the faded light. Its many tails lay upon the floor, patiently waiting to be stepped on. Kaden lowered his blade, and spoke. "Bishop."

The Ninetails jumped high, tails bursting everywhere, as its fur puffed. Landing, the Ninetails spun about, eyes wide, and panicking. "What the f-" Its amber eyes noted the familiar design and coloration of the scyther. "Oh, sir! It's you!" The Ninetails nervously attempted to regain his posture, wrapping its many tails around its form. "Wha- What are you doing here?"

"You're slacking" Kaden spoke dully, taking a neutral pose as he gazed unapprovingly at the fox. "As for why I'm here, it's my detail tonight." Kaden looked down the hall. "And where is your partner?"

"Oh, Zeus? He's around here somewhere. He told me to continue our patrol and that he'd catch up with me when he was done with some business he was attending. That was about twenty minutes ago." Kaden grunted, peering down the shrouded halls, he saw nothing but the hazy darkness in the distance.

"While you were right to continue your patrol, you should have called it in. That way, we'd know to keep an eye on him. Come. You will find your partner. Where did you last see him?" Kaden said, twitching his blade.

Taking note of his superior's aggravation, the ninetails moved past him and began down the hall they had turned from. "This way, sir. I didn't take any turns for about ten rows. I was hoping he'd have caught up by now."

Through the shadowed halls they went, passing hallway by hallway, cell by reinforced cell. Kaden mentally prepared himself for the chewing out he would give the Arcanine. It was a stubborn one, and had been the source of problems before, but it was an excellent guard, which was why he patrolled the Black Sector each night.

The ninetails turned left, down a hall, leading the scyther through the Maze. The scyther made sure to note where they were in his mental map of the place. The Maze lived up to its name, and was a bad place to get lost in.

They turned a corner to the right, and there they saw Zeus, the Arcanine, collapsed against the wall. From his position, he had been on his way back to meet with his partner. From his position, he was ambushed, his chest fur singed in no way that fire could have ever done to the massive dog's coat.

The Ninetails rushed over, checking to see if his buddy was otherwise fine. Sighing in relief that there was no other sign of injury, he remained worried as the hound did not respond to his calls to wake up. As the fox looked up to his boss worriedly, Kaden nodded, "Activate his collar. A nearby patrol with come to take him to the infirmary. You will join their patrol for tonight, and another partner will be assigned to you until he is fit for duty."

The Ninetails glanced at his larger companion, and moved to activate his collar. Shifting through the fur, he found the trigger, and pushed it, turning a red light on. The signal would inform Control of a downed patrol and a notice to local patrols would be given.

As the scyther walked away, he looked back to see the Ninetails now laying loyally beside his friend. But he had more important things to attend to. He had to find out what caused this.

He was running. He had to get to the source, quickly. He needed to secure the problem, and he could hear it in the distance. Down one hallway, into another, he moved rapidly from area to area, past oblivious cellmates waiting to be broken. He was now in an area without lights. They had been smashed, obliterated, and were now shrapnel beneath his feet. He had heard a faint boom minutes ago from grid A-20, near the Northern corner of the Maze. Few patrols passed through that grid, and he wondered how many had arrived.

As the sounds of battle began to grow louder, he slowed to a stop. Peering about a corner, he could see the reduced wall of one of the labs. How anything could have smashed through that much cement, reinforcements, and metal, he had no clue. But one of the suspects was present.

Observing the scene, he could see a figure, standing tall and powerful, shimmering with a blue energy. Beyond it stood a Manetric, its teeth bared and hackles raised. Against the wall of smashed computers lay the collapsed form of a Feraligator, seemingly out of the fight.

The figure closest to Kaden was speaking, and raised his voice just enough that Kaden could hear. "Ready to surrender, Rockets? Or do you want to join the rest of your team?" Kaden slipped forward, slowly, carefully moving towards the figure. "Well?"

Flame licked the Manetric's mouth as it began to smile. "And what makes you think you have the upper hand?" the feminine voice protested.

"The fact that all you shinies are out of commission and your new leg doesn't look over level twenty." Kaden spotted a Raichu under the Manetric, barely able to support the hound's weight. Kaden recognized the mouse. Alias. But he could not think about it now, as the figure, a lucario, began to charge a ball of shimmering energy. "I'm not usually one to attack non-battlers, but if you won't concede defeat-"

"Big mistake, lucario. After you've worked with us for a while, you won't assume that Team Rocket sends solitary backups." The Manetric held a sly grin on her face.

His cover was blown, and he needed to act quickly. While it did throw him off for a moment, the lucario would likely check briefly with his extra senses. Crouching, Kaden pulled his blades to the side, and prepped his wings. He lunged.

"Are you deaf? I will never-!" The lucario went sprawling across the floor as Kaden pinned him with his foot, a blade to his prey's neck, and another pointing down from above. Behind him, the footsteps of a human guard approached, as the owner of the footsteps released his Pokémon.

"Destiny Bond!" The human shouted to the blue form that appeared. Kaden glanced back before looking back to his captured prey. A wicked smile spread across his face.

"Faint us, and you faint too." The human stepped forward to bind the prisoner from further attempts. Kaden carefully repositioned to allow the human to do his job, until finally the lucario was bound, allowing Kaden to pull off completely.

The manetric and Alias began picking their way through the rubble towards the newcomers. Kaden glanced towards the two, and at the scene of destruction behind them.

As the two approached, the mouse spoke up, "Sir." Kaden glanced, and turned back to the grunt, tapping him with a blade, and pointed at the fainted Feraligator and the Porygon Z he had not noticed before. The human nodded and moved to attend to them.

The manetric chuckled. "A human obeying a scyther? You must be Kaden."

"I am." He looked down at Alias, who was still supporting the manetric's injured leg. But he noticed something off… her tag. It was missing. "Is this lucario responsible for your tag?"

Alias glanced towards the prisoner, "Yes." Kaden looked towards the lucario, then at the scene. Off to the side, the feraligator was coming-to. The human now moved to the porygon.

Grunting, Kaden pointed at the lucario, now calm and listening, "Where did he escape from?" He looked up, to the Manetric which was now sitting on her good legs.

"Anton, my master. Near the East entrance of the Maze. We know the way." She replied.

Kaden looked off towards the depths of the maze. Shifting his weight, he concluded, "We will return him first. Come, Alias." And began heading towards the next grid as those behind him began to follow awkwardly.

The halls were cold in the Black Sector. They were cold in the Maze. It was always cold. But Kaden had learned to ignore it, to focus on the warmth of his core as he proceeded down the halls. The group had collected near the scyther as they proceeded through the dark. Kaden followed, tracking their progress in his mind.

No one spoke as they focused on their thoughts. The lucario seemed uncontent being bound, unable to move. Kaden glanced down some halls as they passed them, wondering quietly if the patrol had picked up Zeus yet. He would check with them when the lucario was sealed away.

As they approached the Eastern wall of the Maze, the feraligator moved forwards to open the door. Light shone in and they were bathed in warmth. Kaden was quietly relieved as the warmer air swept over him, displacing the cold chill of the Maze.

"Now that's a much better sight." A human stood before them as they entered the room. "I would hope you didn't rely on that old wobbuffet trick to subdue him." He spoke to the grunt that had ensured the stalemate of the fight in the Team's favor. Kaden believed him to be one of the Admins.

With the prisoner tossed roughly back into a cage, the grunt spoke, "I hope he doesn't give you any more trouble, sir. He looked like a tough one."

"That's both a blessing and a curse" the man replied, "What was he doing that attracted the Pokémon Chief of Security?" the guard questioned. Kaden stood to the side, listening to the humans talk.

"Nothing, really." He repositioned his hat, "Wobby' and I were sent to reprimand Alias here, and Kaden decided to supervise us. Good thing, too. We wouldn't have been able to grab mister toughie' here otherwise." Kaden grunted quietly.

"Alias? As in the late Christopher's little scout?" the admin kneeled before the mouse.

"You know her old posting?" the grunt inquired, tapping the cage before jerking his hand away from the electrified bars. "I always wondered how she got slapped with an area restriction. They're rare, you know."

"Yes, I did know her previous owner. He did an exceptional job of training a couple of ours for Intelligence." He inspected one of Alias' paws, "If she's picked up just a fraction of Christopher's ability then you're wasting her in Security."

"She'll be wasted even more now seeing her area restriction got breached." The grunt noted. Kaden shifted.

"Really? Why did she breach them?" he looked up curiously, setting Alias' paw down.

"Helpin' your Pokés fight toughie, I suppose." The grunt shrugged.

The admin frowned. "You'll cut her off for that?" It didn't seem right, after Alias went out of her way to ensure Team Rocket could secure the problem. Kaden's blade twitched.

"Rules are rules, I don't got a say in 'em." The grunt dismissedly said. Enough was enough for Kaden. He would not allow for one of the best security units to be terminated for aiding in the recapture of such a rare and dangerous prisoner.

Stepping in, he interrupted the two men, halting their conversation. "Alias, a word." He led the mouse off a short distance before crouching.

"Yes, sir?" The mouse approached.

"Your teacher may have saved you for the last time." He noted, glancing at the humans now watching them.

Curious, the mouse inquired, "What do you mean?"

"Your teacher's reputation may be enough to exchange an execution, for a transfer. Volunteer to help with this one's breaking." He pointed at the caged lucario with a blade. "Do a good enough job and you'll be transferred again into the Training Department. My old offer still stands. Come to my classes, and I will teach you how to fight. Perhaps after I can give you advice on how to break captives."

He stood up, and moved towards the cage. "That is an order, Alias. I will not allow for a vital scout to be lost for a victory." He tapped the cage, feeling its electricity tingle the nerves near his blade.

Now he had to relay to proposition to the humans. Stepping up to them, he pointed bluntly, from Alias, to the cage, and then to the guard. Unfortunately, the admin seemed puzzled. "Do you know what he's saying?" he asked the grunt.

A short exchange between the two ensued. Kaden did not like the shortsightedness of humans. They could achieve much, but even members of Team Rocket fell in the category of the casino's many customers.

The admin, finally, turned to Alias, "You remember some of Christopher's techniques?" the mouse paused for a moment, as Kaden watched the scene. With Alias' answer, he concluded, "Well then, I accept."

"What?" The grunt asked, seemingly mishearing his superior.

"Alias will work under me for a while, and assist in the training of this Lucario. Drop her area restrictions and I'll supervise her instead." He explained. Kaden smiled, content with the plan. But the grunt did not seem to like the answer.

"I can't allow that. There's no leeway in a Black area breach." He fussed, giving no quarter to what was about to be allowed.

"There is, at the Chief of Security's discretion."

The grunt was raising his voice, "I'd have to go back and ask him, but he's off duty at the mo-"

"The Pokémon Chief of Security has equal standing to the human Chief." The superior explained. Kaden smiled widely, enjoying the recognition of power and authority he held.

The grunt stopped, surprised at the news. "Really? Why would they give any Pokémon a rank that high?"

"Because you don't speak their language. So, do you have Alias' ball?" he concluded.

"Yeah. So, I just file a transfer report?" It was finally over. The problem was resolved. Alias had been saved, and another grunt had learned to respect Kaden's authority in the future.

As the ball was being passed over, the boom of the alarms emanated in their ears, causing even the Chief of Security to drop to his knees with his blades on the ground. His heightened senses made him unable to focus as the alarm screeched at him.

As he regained focus, he could faintly hear the guards as they faded back into hearing, "-the mass-breakout alarm! Prisoners are escaping!" Kaden forced himself to stand, as he tried to think past the horrendous alarms. He whacked the side of a blade against one of the humans, unsure of how hard he hit, in his semi-dazed state. Roughly pointing around the room, he instructed the two to take their positions.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, his gaze came to Alias, who was now covering her ears from the noise. It was the one time Kaden wished he could do the same, but his blades would only make it worse as they echoed the siren back.

"Stay here, Alias. You are no longer in the Security Department. I will get someone to cover your post." He flinched. He had to get to the control room for the Black Sector.


	7. Round 3: Prison Break

Stumbling out of the room in a half-run, he beckoned for the grunt to follow. Now, the two were moving down a hall, the grunt working to keep up. They soon reached the east exit of the Maze. Kaden pointed at the door, and the grunt stepped forward to flash his badge and bypass the security. It took Kaden's implanted chip to be scanned, to gain access through the door.

They emerged into the East security hall, and Kaden pushed past quickly. The grunts and guards there did not stop him and allowed him to bypass all the security. Meanwhile, the grunt informed the other humans about the mass-breakout. So far, they hadn't seen any escapees.

Kaden had left, taking the stairs up to the main security room for the Maze. Doubtless, the guards below were calling it in. They would have eyes on the Maze by the time Kaden got there.

Computers shone brilliantly as the clicking of keys echoed from all over. People occupied many computers in the well-sized room, and the screens were set to view the Black Sector. The door burst open and the scyther moved through, rushing to one of the screens. There, as the screens of the room flashed from camera to camera, he could see many of the escapees wandering the halls. Some were even working to break others out.

Kaden growled, and barked his orders to the resident porygon in the room. It transmitted the orders for human understanding, "ORDERS RECEIVED. SEND ALL BLACK SECTOR PERSONELL TO DETAIN SUBJECTS. PREPARE CELLS FOR PROPER CONTAINMENT." People scrambled to call up such personnel and their detainment teams. If they were going to contain the swarm, they would need a lot of heavy-hitters.

"EXTERIOR LOCKDOWN INITIATED. ALL PERSONELL MUST REMAIN AT THEIR STATIONS UNTIL LOCKDOWN IS LIFTED. INTERIOR LOCKDOWN INITIATED. ONLY DETAINMENT AND KEY PERSONELL MAY ENTER THE CONTAINMENT WARD." It echoed across the PA in the classic feminine voice.

Kaden nodded, and moved across the room, and pushed his way through the door. Moving through the halls of the upper sector, he kept to the side as various teams rushed past, not even bothering to salute him or even give any sign of recognition in an effort to reach their posts as quickly as possible.

He understood this, and let it go. They had jobs to do, and any formalities would only delay their reactions. He moved across the hall, to the door, and moved through.

He came to an admin that was just picking up the phone. A Porygon unit sat upon his desk, and its head spun as Kaden entered. "Subject scanned. Identified as Kaden, Chief of Security. Welcome, Sir." The Admin paused his calling process to look to the scyther.

"I know the Headquarters will have heard of this, and I want you to tell them to place my replacement in my role until the lockdown ends. I will not be able to attend to my students during this time, and do not need them to know any more than that I am busy." He looked upon the admin with indifference to his rank while the Porygon collected the data.

"As for the lockdown… I will not have access to my team, so I want to take over the Western half first, Grids A5 - H5. Barricades will be set in place to ensure that the captives do not retake the area. We will compress the areas occupied, and move the barricades accordingly. Place any captives into working cells to be dealt with later." He paused as the Porygon whirred noisily.

"We must gain a foothold in the Ward, or else containment will be impossible. If we have to capture one or two Pokémon at a time, then so be it. But we will have them caught, however long it may take. We can lift the exterior lockdown as needed for supplies, medical treatment, and even reinforcements, but nothing more." Finally, the Porygon had the orders, and began relaying it for the admin to understand.

The admin nodded, "Very well." Picking up the phone to redial as the scyther walked out. Kaden was headed for the maze, and began prepping himself for battle.

Passing by a security drone, a model I Porygon, he ordered it to follow him. "You will be my ears with the Control Room. Keep me updated." Reaching the western gate of the Maze, he, along with many other teams were ready for the charge. Preparing themselves to go, they waited, until finally, Kaden spoke, "Begin."


	8. Round 4: Containment Protocol

The freed prisoners seemingly controlled every hallway in the Ward. The internal exits would be next. With his troops prepared, Kaden approached the door. A Porygon unit hovered beside him as he issued his command. "Attack!" He yelled, as his minions burst through the doors on the west half of the Maze, beginning their war to retake the prison.

As they cleared through, Kaden let them take on the first waves or prisoners. Many larger Pokémon worked as the first line of attack, charging their foes before the smaller minions could reach their quarries.

Minutes passed as Kaden listened to the sound of combat. Stepping through the doorway and into the chilled, noisy prison, he moved to pick up speed, soon opening his wings and launching himself forwards, clearing the top of some of the larger minions locked in combat with the escapees.

Blades slashed and stabbed, carefully cutting and removing his enemies. He was the tip of the spear, leading his army with determination. Failure was not an option, and he was beginning to enjoy this outbreak. This was the fight he had sought for so long.

His eyes going wild, his demeanor took a more primitive bloodlust, hiding his sharp wit behind his glee. A wicked smile widened across his face as he moved through the prisoners with savage force.

Onwards he pushed, and further his army moved to retake the jail. He was becoming spoiled with the massive feast of battle that lay before him, as he zipped through the halls and their occupants. This was the day he had been waiting for his whole life. The battles he had been neglected in the past… they were all before him now.

Hours passed, and they had succeeded to reclaim a vast majority of the prison. Massive barricades had been erected behind the minions that followed Kaden's command. Behind the barricades, rocket security had come to pull their Pokémon out to rest, and claim the fallen to be healed. The prisoners that had fallen were in the process of being rounded up and placed in what secure cells existed.

The severely injured body of Zeus had been found near the end of the fight, and riskily hauled back to the barricades. Bishop, the Arcanine's companion and team-mate, had attempted to protect the fallen hound during the breakout, and had been found a few blocks away, physically shattered like Zues had been. The Ninetails was comatose, and was being transferred to the medical facility as quickly as possible to preserve his life.

Kaden stood behind the massive barricades, staring in the direction of his prey, distant to the destruction and pain that surrounded him. He had received little but scratches, as his near-insane act had scared the prisoners away from him. The conversations of his minions described him as a sort of green demon, rushing from out of nowhere, lashing out upon his enemies. His nickname had cropped up again, just as it had years ago in Goldenrod. The Reaper of Souls, coming as suddenly as death itself, and striking down his prey without time to blink. But while the first time had been an all-or-nothing fight against the world, the prisoners were needed alive, here. This prey he mowed down was the future of Team Rocket, and no one would stand to let them die before their uses could be determined.

But he had lashed out with his unfettered lust for combat, and while he had incapacitated his prey, he was on thin ice. Had he just a little less self control, they would be useless to the Rockets.

He wondered how Alias was holding up, stuck on the opposite side of the Maze, surrounded by the many prisoners still uncaptured. He hoped she was ok. He admitted to himself that a part of him cared too much to let such promise go to waste, or even be lost, be the rest of him reminded himself that she was another tool, just like himself. All the injured rockets around him… they were all tools too, but very little could change that fate for anyone.

But something bothered him, and he determined it to be from his almost-extinct sense of care he had for few. If Alias was on the other side, with several escapees in her area, and no combat training, she would be easy pickings for some rocket-hating Pokémon. He had to do something about it, to save Alias, and prevent her fate from taking one of the many wrong turns that seemed to be emerging today. He knew it was a risk, as he stepped forward to pass the barricade, but it was a risk he was willing to take.


	9. Round 4: Finale

He rushed. He had to. Something compelled him, made him feel like he was running out of time. So he moved, sprinting with all the speed his body possessed, down the miles of corridor ahead of him. Underfoot, he passed so many prisoners, and if he had time, he would have dealt with them, but instead, he passed them by. Time was running out.

There was something about Alias that always caused her to stand out to him. Something special that no other Rocket Pokémon held. What it was, he knew naught.

She had been bred much like he had been, trained from birth to serve Team Rocket. And early on in both their careers, their field days ended. And yet, somehow, in some strange twist of fate, they both wound up here in Celadon. It was here that Kaden had first seen her.

It had been at the Casino, where he had been doing his inspections of the guards there. For no reason in particular, he had noticed Alias, and something clicked inside him. One of the few Pokémon that took their job seriously, she had always been alert, and obedient. Kaden had kept his eye on her progress since, yet had never spoken to her like he had, briefly with other guards.

But over the past month, his mind had wandered. At first, he had thought it was a missing detail in the Goldenrod raid that decimated the city's police force. But after much internal debate, he found himself paranoid. The minions he led were cattle, like the humans at the casino, betting their money away for a distant dream.

He was beginning to question his purpose. Was he right to continue his life as a tool of Team Rocket? Fighting and obedience were the only thing he knew. Yet a life without fighting gave him time to think, to change himself. And he wondered what lay beyond the walls of the Rocket life. If Team Rocket was willing to put down Alias for helping where possible, what could happen to him? Would life beyond their influence be better? Would it save Alias?

He shook the thoughts from his head. This wasn't the time for his rooftop thoughts. H-7031 was the cell room the Porygon had read off to him. He was coming close. Quickly, he cleared out a few stray Pokémon in the hallway. The vast majority had not reached the walled sectors yet, but had clustered together for protection.

He was past them now, in Grid H-70, cell 28. He was near his destination. The fighting had been nearly ended in the area, but could faintly be heard many corridors away.

As he approached the corner, he raised his blades, ready to strike any enemies he met. Slowly, he moved towards the door. It seemed to have been left open without any signs of being forced into its position.

Quickly stepping into the doorway, he paused. Before him lay a scene of emptiness. The cage had been forced open in a brutal manner. The area around the door had been damaged, but otherwise the rest of the room was clean.

But no one was here. He turned to look down the hall, wondering where everyone could have gone. Other than the alarm screeching in his ears, no other sound disturbed the hallway.

The lucario was gone, and in this torturous breakout, he could be lost to Team Rocket. He began to walk down the corridor, trying to piece together what had happened. He knew Alias could not fight, so the damage around the door could not have come from her and the lucario, yet there were no bodies, no guards or escapees. Something large and powerful had fought in the room, but had apparently escaped, as had the lucario.

He had lost Alias' trail for the moment, and could do little about it until the riot was dealt with. Until the prisoners had been captured once more, he would not have the resources to track down missing members or assets. He had to fight, to end this quickly, to move forward, to restore order. To find Alias' fate.

[1 week later]

Kaden had finished giving instructions to improve security in the Black Sector, and had devoted resources to finding missing Rocket members. His training classes had been given a new teacher in his stead while he worked on security for the Maze, and his search.

He sat now on the roof of the base, his now-weary eyes looking upon the city in solitude, thinking of the past. Fifteen Rocket members had been found throughout the city, battered and exhausted, having attempted to escape during the Ward's lockdown. They were to be punished profusely for their treason. None of them had been Alias.

He wondered where she could be. The scout whose potential for so much more had captured his eye since he saw her. He had been looking forward to training her to such potential.

He looked west, towards the forested border of the city, as it looked down upon humanity from its tall cliffs. He wondered what life outside of Rocket influence was like, whether it was worth escaping for. Those who had managed to escape Team Rocket seemed eager to do so. There had to be a reason; he just didn't know what it was.

What was better than having a purpose? A place one belonged, and worked, to reach their full potential and strength? What was life without challenges?

Challenges. What challenges was he missing, not being in the field? What challenges could be more important than the prime security he provided his base? His home?

He had heard stories of the wilderness, of the lack of humanity, of cities and laws. Where survival was not always guaranteed, and the wild ones fought each other constantly. Surely none of them could match him? He wondered what lay beyond those trees, trees he had never once crossed. What valleys, rivers, or lakes existed beyond that green wall of this cement basin?

They called it freedom, those that fled from Team Rocket. Freedom from captivity, from enslavement, back to their homes and families, those that loved and cared for them, where they could live easy, happy lives in contempt. 'Freedom', such an odd concept. No one was free from everything. But freedom from Team Rocket held peculiar arguments. And it was a thing he would never see.

Raising his head to the stars, he spied them twinkling in a clear night sky, piercing through the city's haze and lights. Closing his eyes, his thoughts came to rest on Alias one last time. Wherever she was, whatever she was in for… He wished her the best of luck. He wished her happiness.


End file.
